By Thomas Kikuchi

11 Sep, 2019

“If you’re going to be aggressive, at least be nice about it… or maybe not,” says Marissa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy to an audience full of sweaty moshers.

The idea of respectfully being aggressive towards something you’re passionate about lends way to the thoughtfulness that is always refreshing to experience. But it’s also about being unapologetic. There is nobody that should stand in the way of expressing yourself the way you want and that is exactly what Mannequin Pussy sets out to do.

This is Mannequin Pussy’s first headlining tour, playing with the calming presence of Ellis and the bombastic and energetic Destroy Boys.

What these openers set out to do was create the notion that this space was for all to enjoy. In my experience, especially when going to more hardcore and energetic shows, bands work to disassociate from the crowd as much as they can to give them an uneasy experience. The result is for me to fall into the audience, however, when this audience is not accepting of you or your identity, it’s difficult to enjoy and accept what’s around you.  

What arguably stood out the most from these opening acts was Destroy Boys’s girls-to-the-front, all-girls mosh pit.

The creation of such a safe space where people can safely enter each other’s personal space is one of the most liberating feelings that I would argue everyone needs to experience at some point in their life. One can only truly let go in a crowd when they feel comfortable with the people around them. To see so many people enjoying this experience through such a simple demand solidified the night into unapologetic aggressiveness.

Mannequin Pussy very much lived up to their headlining title. Each member respectively offered impressively energetic performances. However, this energy was focused on a unified togetherness that so few bands can achieve. Blending so many sounds together on top of a drumbeat all for Dabice to scream her head off about her anxieties felt all too cathartic.  

No matter how you identify, there is a scene waiting for you. There are spaces that exist that you can feel comfortable with in which you can truly reach your full potential. So many narratives will make it seem as if some scenes have never existed, or that what’s happening now is relatively new in the grand scheme of music. Mannequin Pussy, Ellis, and Destroy Boys are all bands that more or less prove that these claims are just meant to silence these voices. 

Whatever excuse you needed to create, now is your chance.